Device for altering a human or animal nail

ABSTRACT

What is described is a motorized device used for altering the shape, size, contour, texture, and/or shine of a nail on a digit.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Finger and toe nails are routinely cut, filed, shaped, polished, and otherwise adjusted for aesthetic, safety, and hygienic reasons. This activity has been done using manually-operated mechanical devices such as nail clippers that are operated by depressing levers, releasing springs, moving a file or buffer back and forth until the desired shape and texture are achieved. All these mechanical devices must be manually manipulated by a user to achieve the desired effect on the nails. The fact that all these prior art devices are manually manipulated can have undesirable effects. For example, the present state of the art nail clipper has an elliptical cutting edge that is generally not adjustable for the anatomy of the intended nail. This generally provides a less than perfect result when used and requires additional steps of filing to obtain a smooth edge. This multiple step process can be time consuming. Additionally, less than perfect results occur when one uses these manual devices on one's self. When attempting to cut or otherwise adjust one's own nail, a user must at some point perform these actions using a non-dominant hand which can lead to less than desired results. Additionally, use of these manually operated devices can be cumbersome; for example, errors in their use can cause cuts in the tissues around a nail that can become infected if not properly cleaned or detected. Presently, to achieve the best results a second individual must assist in cutting, shaping, polishing, etc. This can be time consuming and may require a fee for the service. Furthermore, access to the digits where cutting or re-shaping Is desired can be difficult, for example, reaching ones toe nails or if a user wishes to perform these acts on themselves but suffer from a handicap which prevents the dexterity and flexibility required to operate the manual devices.

The present invention overcomes many of the aforementioned limitations by providing a motorized device which performs the cutting automatically. As with many motorized devices, this alleviates many of the Inefficiencies and imperfections caused by manually operated devices. A user of the motorized device simply inserts a digit or digits (i.e., individual fingers or toes or groups of fingers or toes) into an aperture at one end of the device. Within the device an internal chamber will properly align the at least one digit such that it will be properly positioned for a motorized surface to displace and provide the desired adapting. Either automatically or upon a user's command the device will provide power from a power source to the motor which will cause the surface to move and perform the desired adapting. This can be, for example causing a file to move back and forth across the edge of a nail to achieve a rounded lateral or vertical surface, causing a cutter to follow an outline of a portion of nail exposed beyond a digit cup and cut off a portion of a nail, or many other examples that will follow.

Such a motorized device can be adjusted to provide various results from the same surface. For example, cutting nails that are short or long by adjusting the amount of nail exposed to a cutting surface, or adjusting a filing surface speed of motion to provide tunable course/ fine filing.

The motorized device can be portable (i.e., powered by a removable battery power source). It can also be adapted to make adjustments on different kinds of nails (i.e., long, short, human, animal, etc.).

The invention includes, in one aspect a device for altering a nail on a digit which includes: a housing having at least one aperture at one end for the insertion of at least one digit; an internal chamber for receipt and alignment of the at least one digit; a surface for optionally altering at least a portion of the nail; a motor for displacing the surface to effectuate the adapting; and a power source for supplying power to the motor.

In one embodiment the internal chamber has a diameter at an end closest to the aperture is larger than at the end closest to the surface. In another embodiment the internal chamber is a substantially cylindrical shape and a substantially conical shape.

In another embodiment the internal chamber further includes at least one displaceable guide for alignment of at least one digit. The displaceable guide can be a flexible substance, a spring-mounted displaceable portion, a bearing, a cushioning, and a movable resistance generator.

The internal chamber can also have an opening at the end opposite the aperture for exposing at least a portion of a nail.

In other embodiments, a surface is part of a mechanism which allows movement to effectuate nail alteration. The mechanism is capable of displacement by, for example, a spring, a track, a belt, an oscillator, a rotator, and a lever. The mechanism is effectuated by a motor to displace the surface and effectuate alteration. The mechanism can also include an adjustable portion for adjusting the altering. The adjustable portion adjusts at least one of the quantity, shape, size, speed, direction, movement and angle of the altering.

In other embodiments, the device further comprises a user-selectable function which controls the adjustable portion. The surface further can be a grinding surface for filing a nail. The surface can als be a cutting surface for cutting a nail. The surface can also be a polishing surface for polishing a nail. The surface is accessible and can be replaced upon excess wear.

The device can include a receptacle for receiving a portion of the nail that is removed by the surface. The receptacle is capable of access from the housing to enable disposal of said nail portion.

In another aspect the invention includes a device for altering a nail including: a housing having at least one aperture at one end for the insertion of at least one digit; an internal chamber for receipt and alignment of the at least one digit and said nail; a surface for removing at least a portion of a nail; a motor for displacing the surface to effectuate removing; and a power source for supplying power to said motor.

Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section view of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an alternate view of section A; and

FIG. 4 shows a further apparatus according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts digit 1 having a nail 2. Digit 1 can be a finger or toe. For the sake of example, in FIG. 1 nail 2 is a fingernail. The digit 1 and fingernail 2 are inserted into device 3 via aperture 4. Device 3 can be cylindrical, oblong, rectangular, or any other shape which allows insertion of a digit through an aperture. Device 3 can also have a series of depressions along one or more sides to enable better ease of gripping by a second hand. A user can select settings for cutting, shaping, polishing, and/or smoothing on control 5. Device 3 can also have automatic or pre-programmed settings. Upon insertion of digit 1 and nail 2, the user can activate the device 3 to function according to the settings on control 5. Device 3 also includes a housing 6 for batteries or any other power supply (i.e., a solar power supply) known to one of skill in the art which powers device 3. At an end of device 3 opposite aperture 4 there is an optionally removable portion 7 which allows a user to open device 3 for removal of nail detritus, cleaning, and/or repair of components inside device 3. Upon insertion of digit 1 and fingernail 2, a user can cause components (not depicted in FIG. 1) within device 3 perform filing, cutting, shaping, polishing or any other alteration of fingernail 2 either automatically or by pressing a mechanism such as a depressable or capacitative switch that is part of control S.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross section view of the device 3 of FIG. 1. Digit 1 and nail 2 are inserted in device 3 through aperture 4 into an internal chamber 8. Internal chamber 8 can be substantially cylindrical or can be conical such that its diameter at end 9 is smaller than the diameter at aperture 4. This conical configuration serves to properly align digit 1. and nail 2 to enable mechanism 11 to move over a portion of a surface of nail 2 and alter the shape, size, contour, texture, and/or shine of a portion of nail 2. End 9 can contain a gap which allows a nail 2 to pass through while retracting a portion of tissue from finger 1 being exposed to any sharp or rough surface.

A user activates mechanism 11 either automatically when nail 2 is detected to be properly aligned or by activating control 5, for example, by pressing a depressable or capcitative switch. Once activated mechanism 2 files, cuts, shapes, polishes, or otherwise alters a shape, size, contour, texture, or shine of nail 2 or performs any other alteration known in the art to nail 2. Mechanism 11 can consist of a course filing surface, a mechanical filing surface, a polishing surface, a mechanical polishing surface, a smoothing surface, a chemical polishing surface, a cutting surface, a motorized cutting surface, or any combination or multiples thereof. Mechanism 11 can include a still or moving surface which alters its position as mechanism 11 is displaced at a rate sufficient to effectuate the desired alteration of nail 2. If mechanism 11 includes a moving surface it can either be mechanically displaced upon movement of mechanism 11, for example by gears, or can be motorized by an on-board motor, piezoelectric device, rastering device, micro electro mechanical semiconductor (MEMS) device, or any other device known in the art for moving a surface of a mechanism in a way that will cause said surface to alter a nail. If mechanism 11 includes an electrical device, it is powered via power supply 12 which is connected by wire 13. Mechanism 11 can also include its own on-board power supply.

The entirety of mechanism 11 can be displaced along track 10 to effectuate the alteration of nail 2. Track 10 is adjustable based on, for example, control 5. Track 10 can be adjusted to enable altering of nail 2 in a variety of ways. Track 10 can be a spring, a track, a belt, an oscillator, a rotator, or a lever. Mechanism 11 can contain a motor which moves it along track 10. Upon the motor activating, mechanism 11 displaces along track 10 and causes a surface to move along a surface of nail 2 and alter it. The speed, angle, direction, rate, and frequency of the motion of mechanism 11 along track 10 influences the quantity of altering of nail 2. For example, If insertion of finger 1 into chamber 8 aligns nail 2 to press firmly against a surface of mechanism 11, and that surface includes a material which is course enough to file nail 2, movement of mechanism 11 along track 10 will cause nail 2 to be filed or polished. If mechanism 11 moves along track 10 multiple times, the pressure of nail 2 on the surface will cause filling until there is insufficient friction to alter the nail further. If track 10 has a spring or elastic constant, mechanism 11 will only file until the pressure of the surface against nail 2, based on the elastic or spring constant is great enough to alter the nail. Thus cutting, shaping, filing, polishing or any other altering of nail 2 can be preset to be active and also desist based on the properties of track 10, friction properties of surface of mechanism 11, the number of times mechanism 11 moves along track 10, or by any other means by which the altering takes place. This enables control of the altering of nail 2 by adjusting the position, elastic constant, spring constant, and/or shape of track 10, the speed, torque, angle, direction, or frequency of mechanism 11, the speed, direction, angle, rotation, material, or any other property of surface 101 of mechanism 11.

Additionally, mechanism 11 can contain a surface 101 for cutting nail 2. Such surface is sharp and strong enough to remove a portion of nail 2 larger than by filing or polishing. Surface 101 can be a cutting edge, a rotational cutting edge, a clipper edge or any other cutting mechanism known in the art for cutting a nail. Thus when track 10 is altered and mechanism 11 is displaced along track 10, it will alter how surface 101 cuts nail 2. For example, if a user wishes only to remove the portion of nail 2 which extends beyond the end of finger 1, device 3 can be designed such that track 10 will alter its shape to along the end of finger 1 and cause surface 101 on mechanism 11 to cut only the desired portion of nail 2. This example can be an automated feature of device 3 or a manual feature of device 3. Alternatively the adjustment of any of the combination of the alignment of digit 1 and nail 2 in chamber 8, the shape, position, elastic constant, or spring constant of track 10, the speed, torque, angle, direction, or frequency of mechanism 11, the speed, direction, angle, rotation, material, or any other property of surface 101 of mechanism 11 will alter the cutting of nail 2 based on the users desired outcome. Mechanism 11 can also be displaced, for example, by a spring, a belt, an oscillator, a rotator, and/or a lever.

FIG. 3 depicts a magnified view of section A in FIG. 2. Nail 2 extends beyond end 9 of internal chamber 8. Optional alignment displaceable guide 15 assist in positioning and steadying nail 2 against any force provided by mechanism 11 on nail 2. Alignment displaceable guide 15 can be formed of an elastic material such as rubber, a flexible substance, a spring-mounted displaceable portion, a bearing, a cushioning, and/or a movable resistance generator. Alternatively alignment mechanisms 15 can be movable along track 16 to enable proper positioning of nail 2 or adjustment for various digit sizes or desired shaping and/or cutting.

To enable alteration of track 10 such that mechanism 11 shapes in a variety of ways when displaced along track 10, device 3 can include track altering extensions 14. These can moveably displace track 10 which can be composed of a flexible material with an elastic property, for example a spring, such that it will alter how surface 101 cuts nail 2. For example, if a user wishes only to remove the portion of nail 2 which extends beyond the end of finger 1, track altering extension 14 can extend toward the center of device 3 such that it will decrease the radius of curvature of track 10. So doing will cause the surface 101 on mechanism 11 to remove only a desired portion of nail 2. If a user wishes to remove a portion of nail 2 closer to end 9 of chamber 8, track altering extensions 14 can retract to increase the radius of curvature of track 10 which will cause the surface 101 on mechanism 11 to remove a greater portion of nail 2. Track altering extensions 14 can be manually or automatically extended and retracted based on a user's desired result. Extension of track altering extensions 14 can adjust at least one the quantity, shape, size, speed, direction, movement and angle of the nail altering.

FIG. 4 depicts a device 3 having multiple apertures 4 to enable contemporaneous insertion of more than one digit 1. Device 3 in FIG. 4 may have multiple mechanisms 11 and tracks 10 or can have a single track 10 and mechanism 11 which is formed to move along multiple digits 1. A user can program various settings on control 5 to enable desired shaping.

As described above, a device for altering a nail according to embodiments of the present invention may be performed. While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for altering a nail on a digit comprising: A housing comprising at least one aperture at one end for the insertion of at least one digit; An internal chamber for receipt and alignment of said at least one digit; A surface for optionally altering at least a portion of said nail; A motor for displacing the surface to effectuate said adapting; and A power source for supplying power to said motor.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal chamber comprises a diameter at an end closest to the aperture is larger than at the end closest to the surface.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal chamber consists of a shape selected from the group of: a substantially cylindrical shape and a substantially conical shape.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal chamber further comprises at least one displaceable guide for alignment of said at least one digit.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein said displaceable guide is selected from the group consisting of: a flexible substance, a spring-mounted displaceable portion, a bearing, a cushioning, and a movable resistance generator.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal chamber further comprises an opening at the end opposite said aperture for exposing at least a portion of said nail.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said surface further comprises a mechanism which allows movement of said surface to effectuate said altering.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said mechanism is capable of displacement by at least one of the group selected from: a spring, a track, a belt, an oscillator, a rotator, and a lever.
 9. The device of claim 7, wherein said mechanism is effectuated by said motor to displace the surface and effectuate said altering.
 10. The device of claim 7, wherein said mechanism further comprises an adjustable portion for adjusting the altering.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein said adjustable portion adjusts at least one of the quantity, shape, size, speed, direction, movement and angle of said altering.
 12. The device of claim 10, wherein said device further comprises a user-selectable function which controls the adjustable portion.
 13. The device of claim 1, wherein said surface further comprises a grinding surface for filing a nail.
 14. The device of claim 1, wherein said surface further comprises a cutting surface for cutting a nail.
 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface further comprises a polishing surface for polishing a nail.
 16. The device of claim 1, wherein said surface is accessible and can be replaced upon excess wear.
 17. The device of claim 1 further comprising a receptacle for receiving a portion of said nail that is removed by the surface.
 18. The device of claim 17, wherein said receptacle is accessible from the housing to enable disposal of said nail portion.
 19. A device for altering a nail comprising: A housing comprising at least one aperture at one end for the insertion of at least one digit; An internal chamber for receipt and alignment of said at least one digit and said nail; A surface for removing at least a portion of said nail; A motor for displacing the surface to effectuate said removing; and A power source for supplying power to said motor. 